Smelter (Durango)
Launch Type: Foot Vertical: 950' Distance to LZ: 1850' Glide required: ~2 Basic Description: Smelter is a NE facing foot launch site located near the radio towers on Smelter Mountain just south of downtown Durango. The site is just under just under 1000' vertical and is flyable with North wind most mornings. This site is accessible by hiking or driving. Getting There: '''The trailhead for hiking follows the ridge from the south starting at the baseball diamonds just off US160 at (GPS: 37 15' 12.26N 107 52' 44.01W). Turn off 160 just by Office Depot and turn onto CR 210. Take your first right and the parking lot for access is on your immediate left. The hike should take between 30-45 mins until you reach the take off. It is a very large flat area and there are a few streamers attached to the bushes as wind indicators. To drive to the take off, take CR 210 for about a mile and take a right on CR 212 very soon after the electrical power station. CR 212 is a rough undermaintainedd dirt road and High Clearance 4WD is recommended. The drive is not much faster to drive than it is to hike. Keep to the right on all road splits. There is a gate that is sometimes closed and locked. There's no way to tell whether it will be locked or not. The drive is not much faster to drive than it is to hike. Park away from the take off next to the second set of radio towers and continue 50 yards to the take off. LZ is the Dog Park below the launch. '''Exposure: '''Most mornings early as the catabatic air flows out of the North from the mountains down the Animas river valley and blows straight up the face of Smelter. As the valley heats up, the wind switches South and begins to blow over the back side. This is not a beginner launch, the take off is very short and requires headwind to launch. This is a leeward launch, do not attempt to launch too late in the morning when the wind switches begins to blow from the south over the backside. '''Launch: '''Oak Brush has been cleared out of the launch just left of a short ridge towards an old power single power pole. Run hard once you have your wing up. Cutting right after Launch will help maintain lift if you stay close to the cliff band. '''Landing Zone: '''LZ is much easier than launch. Generally there is very little wind, but set up to the west is preferred. There are scattered trees in the LZ, but it is generally a pretty easy to avoid. There is a parking lot on the west side of the dog park, or a trail that returns along the river south to the baseball diamonds. You can set up to land closer to one side or the other. People have also landed in the soccer fields of santa rita park or by the baseball fields, but it is not recommended because of power lines. '''Relevant Media: Category:Colorado